Agricultural Education

Within each cluster, there are multiple career pathways that represent a common set of skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a full range of career opportunities within that pathway. Career Clusters that relate to instruction in agricultural education include:

Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources prepares you for careers that involve the science and mechanics of improving the quality and safety of food, cultivating and preserving our natural resources and caring for livestock and other animals. Further, you can learn about the business aspects involved in this broad field.

Career Pathways

Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Architecture & Construction prepares you for careers that allow you to design, plan, manage, build, and maintain structures such as buildings, homes and bridges, or machinery. People employed in this career cluster work on new structures, restorations, additions, alterations and repairs.

Career Pathways

Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Use your artistic creativity and mathematics skills to transform an innovative concept into a design plan that creates something tangible. Guide construction professionals through the building process.

Health Science prepares you to help keep people healthy and treat those who are not. Work directly with people by conducting research on diseases and other important health information. This field allows you to work in diverse environments such as hospitals, medical and dental offices or labs.

Career Pathways

Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics prepares you for careers using science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills. Jobs within this career cluster conduct in-depth research to provide solutions to a variety of technical problems within many different fields. A postsecondary degree and relevant work experience are necessary to succeed in this field.

Career Pathways

Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Apply mathematics and science to real-world situations. Career possibilities range from science and math teachers to lab technicians and NASA astronauts.

Agricultural Education Programs of Study

Agricultural Education includes programs of study designed to prepare students for occupations in horticulture, agricultural business, natural resources management, agricultural machinery and production agriculture.

Agricultural Education stresses the development of skills in all aspects of agricultural businesses and industries, including planning, management, safety, finances and leadership.

Course Revisions

The following courses were revised for implementation during the 2018-2019 school year. All curriculum frameworks are available through VERSO from the CTE Resource Center:

Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)

Virginia FFA Organization
Makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education preparing students for careers in the food, fiber, and natural resources industries. For more information, visit the CTSO web page.

WBL is a school-coordinated, coherent sequence of on-the-job experiences that are related to students’ career goals and/or interests, are based on instructional preparation and are performed in partnership with local businesses, industries or other organizations in the community. For more information on WBL methods of instruction, visit Work-Based Learning.